Riveting machine



Sept. 8, 1936. L. c. HUCK 2,053,720

RIVETING MACHINE Filed May 28, 19 32 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 \0 INVENTOR M M gavag Sept. 8, 1936. L. c. HUCK 2,053,720

RIVETING MACHINE Filed May 28, 1952 z'sneets-sheet 2 I I INVENTOR E. 10m 6: flack.

ATTORNEYS Patented Sept. 8, 1936 Huxon Holding Corporation, Detroit,- Mich., a a corporation ofMichigan Application May28, 1

932, Serial No. 614,097

= 21 Claims. (amen) I The invention relates to fasteningmechanisms and ithasparticular relation to an apparatus for applying rivets to structural elements for securing .themtogether. I l I 'he machines illustrated andhereinafter described. particularly are adapted to -setrivets' of the general typeshown anddescr'ibed in m'y'copending application for patent relatingto rivets, SerialNo. 545,004, filed. June 17, 1931; Arivet'of male member having a tubular body portion, and

a rivet head prefer ably initially formed at one end thereof, which cooperatesfwith a male or --shank. member extending longitudinally, therebe inserted"throughopeningsin aplurality. of structural, elements to be connected.therebmuntil v the rivet head on the-female-member engages the v n -,side of the structurea'djacent thereto. The shank "ofthe male member projects outwardly from the rivet head of the female memberandby pmling this part of the shank and pullingthe' male memwardly from the headof the latter, and applying 1 the reactionary force of such manipulation to the head of the female member, the wallof the ,body

structure may? be formed with a head of bulbed character.

' In certain respects the,machinesi disclosedi'acthis general character may comprise a tubular fef v I hereinafter set forth.

through and which has a head at one end engaging that, part of the female member opposite the A head thereon. The rivet as thus assembled'may p a plosive principle ofthe ordinary internal com- "bus'tionj'engine' is employed to develop the rivet her through the female member 'in a direction outcartridgesfor developing the rivet setting power 3 required. I i

Another object of. the invention is to provide a ma'chine'cif the above mentioned types which is of repeating character so that rivets may be setin 5 succession merely by manipulation of a trigger' or the like by the operator.

Otherobjects of the invention will be apparent from the following description taken in conjuncsettingpowerrequired.

tion with the drawings, and from thef'claims a Forja'n understanding "of the inventior'i, reference may be had to the accompanying drawfingsforming a part of the specificatiomwherein:

' Figure 1 is a longitudinal cross-sectionalview 15 offla rivet settin'g machine constructedaccording 1w onef fo'rm; of the invention, wherein the ex- Figure isa cross-sectional viewon a'larger scaleftaken'substantially along the line 2-3-2 of FigureB'isa fragmentary cross'secti'onal view of a cylinder that maybe'employed in the con fstruction show'n'in Fig. l,'for the purpose of uti lizing a-water circulating system tocool-the cylinde'rand associated parts of the machine.

cording tolthe present, invention'have certain structuraland operating parts similar to struc- Figure 4.

turaland operatingparts of therivetsettingmachine disclosed and illustrated inthe application for patent or Louis c; Huck'and, Ralph 'A. Miller, relating to vrivet setting machines, Serial No.

608,682, filed May 2, 1932. This similarity ofiparts will be consideredvmore in detail hereinafter.

One object of the present invention is to proyide a mechanism for setting rivets of the general 7 type described above in which rivet setting forces required to set the rivet, are developed by ig-- 'niting a combustible material orfluid.

. portion of" the, latteratithe' opposite side offlthe a Figure 1 fr mentary SS Sectional View similarto that'shown by Fig. 1,- illustrating a.

" machine'which utilizesfexplo sive" cartridges for obtaining the rivet setting forces required.

Figure; Sis across sectional view on a larger scaletakensubstantially along the line 5-55 of I I 'J V I Figure 6 is" a cross sectional view on a larger] scale, taken'substantiallyalong the line 6-} of L'Figure 4.

' Referring to Figure "1, acylinder I0 provided with 'circumferentially extending cooling fins II is connected at its ends to the cylinder heads I2 and H by means, of long bolts 14. Th head' l2 machine of this character, in which'the rivet set- "support ,for a piston rod 11 projecting to the exhas a central'opening I 5 in which a bear gsleeve IB is disposed, and the latter serves as a guiding 46 tenor of the head. Adjacent this sleeve'and at the inner side of the cylinder heada hard metal ring 16' is provided which has a purpose'to be set forth hereinafter. outwardly of the head, the

rod H has a vertically extending opening o'r slot 18 provided with hearing plates 19 and 20 at opposite ends, and such opening receives the lower end of an arm 2| pivoted as indicated at 22 between legs of a bifurcated projection 23 integral with the head l2 and projecting from the outer side thereof. The lower end of arm 2i in the slot i 6 is rounded as indicated at 24 so that upon reciprocation of the rod H, the arm will move about the pivot 22 with minimum interference; It will be noted that the axial length of the slot i8 is greater than the diameter of the rounded portion 24 of arm 2| and the reason for this relation will be apparent hereinafter.

The upper end of arm 2| also has a rounded portion 26 which projects into a slot formed in a member 21 that is reciprocatory in a barrel 26 secured by bolts 29 to an upper and offset portion 30 of the head [2. The barrel 26 and the parts therein associated with the member 21 are more particularly described and illustrated in the copending application for patent of Louis C. Huck and Ralph A. Miller previously identified. It seems suilicient in this application for patent to only state that the rivet may comprise a tubular female member 3| and a male shank'32 and that the outer end of the barrel has an anvil plate 33 apertured at its center to receive'that projecting portion of the male part of a rivet pulled, and a recess around such opening to seat the head on the female member. Also it may be added that inside the barrel adjacent the anvil, gripping means or jaws 35 are provided for gripping the projecting end of the male member which extends through the anvil, and that such jaws are so associated with the member 21 that when the latter moves to the left upon turning the arm 2| about its pivot 22, the jaws grip and then pull the male member while the anvil applies the reactionary force to the head on the female member.

Inside the cylinder III, the rod IT projects.

through'a piston 36 and such rod is rigidly associated with the piston by means of a collar 31 at one side of the piston, and a nut 36 threaded on the rod at the opposite side of the piston. At circumferentially spaced points, the piston is provided at that side thereof adjacent the head l2,

with axially extending openings 36 which househelical springs 46, which extend beyond the right side of the piston and encircle pins 4| threaded into the cylinder head l2. Each spring normally is under compression even with the piston at the left end of its stroke and consequently the several springs employed normally tend to return the piston to such position with the pins 4| serving as guides and supports for the springs. The rod H has a bore 43 open to the space at the left side of the piston, and at such end of the rod, it is provided with a tapered seat 46 for eng ement with a valve disc 46 integral with a valve stem 41 extending longitudinally in the bore. For guiding movement of the stem in the bore, the former is provided as shown particularly by Fig. 2, with circumferentially spaced, radially disposed projections 46.which substantially and slidably contact with the side wall of the bore and guide the movement of the stem and valve disc. At the right side of .the piston, the rod I! also is provided with diametrically disposed slots to accommodate the ends of a pin 5| extending through a head 60' on the inner end of the valve stem and openings ii to allow gas to exhaust fromthe bore to the right side of the piston. It will be noted that the axial length of the slot is greater than the diameter of the pin 5|. Between the head 6l' and the inner end of the bore, a helical spring 62 is provided which normally is under some compression so that it tends to open the valve. An exhaust port 52' in cylinder head I 2 is provided to allow the gas to exhaust from the left of the piston when the valve is open.

In alignment with the piston rod and valve disc .46, a pin 55 is secured to the inner side of the head l3 and this pin has a head 56 projecting inwardly to engage the valve disc 46 when the piston approaches the left end of its stroke. This cooperative relation of the valve disc and pin will be explained more fully hereinafter.

' As indicated at 66 the head i3 is provided with a combustion chamber 66 and 'at this point a spark plug 6| is provided which is threaded through the cylinder head. For supplying a fuel mixture to the cylinder andcombustion chamber 66 at the left side of the piston 36, a cast conduit portion 62 is secured to a handle 63 integral with the head I3, by means of bolts 64 and additional bolts may be employed to secure it to the head i3 at their points of engagement. The conduit portion 62 communicates with the cylinder ill by means of an opening 63 in head 13 and with a fuel mixing device 66 into which are threaded respectively, a fuel line 61 and an air line 66, the air' line being connected to a suitable supply of air under compression. That end of the fuel line 6'|, in the fuel mixing device may have a fuel jet 68 by means of which fuel will be drawn into the conduit 62, as air from the conduit 68 flows past the open end of the jet 'and into the conduit. A ball check valve 16 may be at the lower end of the conduit 62, which is normally urged toward closed position by means of a spring H so that any fuel or gas in the conduit cannot flow back into the mixing device. At the opposite end of the conduit 62, a gate valve 13 may be employed which is operable by means of a trigger l4, pivoted as indicated at 15 to the outer wall of the cylinder, and which is connected to the valve by means of a link 16 and normally held in the gate closed position by a spring 16'. Between.

the gate valve and the valve ill, a screen 11 is employed to prevent any ignition of fuel between the valves I6 and I3 and if desired the conduit around the screen may be provided with any kind of cooling means such as fins or a water circulating system to prevent excessive heating of the conduit. a

For igniting the fuel mixture in the cylinder, electrical -conductors 16 and 13 may e nd through a hollow portion of the handle an one terminal may be grounded as indicated at 66 to the casting and hence to the outer terminal of the spark plug 6|. The other terminal is connected to a contact 6| disposed in a casing 62 secured as by bolts 63' to the handle. This contact is adapted to be engaged by a pin 83 secured to a piston like element 64 reciprocatory in the casing and normally pressed upwardly by a spring 64'. The casing 63 preferably is composed of insulating material, and one side wall thereof has a contact 86 exposed inside of the casing to contact with the piston 84, and which at its outer side is connected by means of a conductor 66 to the central terminal. of the spark plug. Above the piston 84 the casing 82 is connected by means of a conduit 61 to the combustion chamber 66 so that any'gas or fuel pressure in the combustion chamber and hence at the left side of the piston will also act on the piston element 64.

With the parts shown in their relative positions in Fig. 1, and when the rivet is to be set, the latter may first be inserted through anvil 33 and between jaws 35 and then the machine moved to insert the rivet in the structural openings of the structure to be riveted. Now upon pulling the trigger 14, the gate valve 13 is opened and this allows air under pressure to flow through the cylinder head past the breech. Normally the breech is urged away from the cylinder head by means of a helical spring III encircling the breech and engaging the end of the bearing I08 at one end, and an enlarged portion H2 at the outer end of the breech. The end face of such enlarged portion H2 is inclined with respect to the axis of the breech as indicated at H3 and normally contacts with a wedging element II4 movable between such inclined surface, and a projection H5 fixed to the handle and which 'has a surface II6 substantially perpendicular to the axis of the breech and adapted to contact with a similar surface on the wedge. Normally the wedge H4 is urged downwardly by means of a spring Ill located in the housing portion III integral with the projection H5 so that the breech may normally be positioned in spaced relation to the cylinder head. The wedge II 4 is wedging element I I4 so that the latter may move upwardly and downwardly'the proper amount without interference from the firing pin, and such pin also slidably projects through an opening in the projection I I5 and then is connected to a plunger I23 having a reduced portion I24. Normally the firing pin is urged to the right by means of a spring I26 located in a housing I21 of the handle and-in which also the plunger I23 is adapted to reciprocate. The spring I26 normally will retain the firing pin in its position shown where it may slightly projectinto the opening 96 in thecylinder head. For moving the firing pin rearwardly against the action of spring I26, a link I30 is pivotally connected to the trigger I06 at its lower end and at its upper end it is provided with a pin I3I adapted to rest on the reduced portion I24 of the plunger I23, and engage the shoulder or larger part of the plunger. This link normally is so urged that the pin is urged against the plunger, by means of a spring I32 connected to the trigger and looped over a part of the link. Adjacent the lower end of the link, the trigger is provided with a small adjustable stud I33 adapted to engage the link during a phase of the trigger operation to be hereinafter set forth. In a construction of this character, the pin I3I if desired might engage the lower side of portion I24, and be urged upwardly by spring I32 in a reversed position, thus urging link I30 upwardly, and a stud like I33, might be used on the casting above the link, so that upon pulling the trigger, the link would first move the firing pin to the'left, and then engage the stud and be forced downwardly away from portion I24 to release the firing pin.

With the parts in inoperative position as shown, when the trigger is initially pulled, it immediately causes movement of the firing pin rearwardly and then through the pawl I04 and ratchet I03, causes a feeding of the cartridge or cap paper until one of the. caps is disposed near the opening 96. Further movement of the trigger, through the plunger II9, causes the wedge II4 to move" upwardly and hence causes movement of the breech toward the cylinder head. At about the time the cap is properly disposed over the opening 96, the breech has moved against the cylinder head to hold the paper around the cap in position and to house the cap for the subsequent explosion, and then the stud I33 engages the link I30 sufliciently to lift the pin I3I from the reduced portion I24 of the plunger thereby allowing the spring I26 to quickly move the firing pin against the cap or cartridge to explode it. When this explosion occurs, the piston will move to the right to set the rivet, and after setting the rivet, the valve 46 will open and allow the burned gases to exhaust as in the manner shown by Fig. 1. Then the piston will return to its initial position for the next rivet setting operation. The taper of the wedge I I4 and the surface I I3 on the breech are such that when the explosion occurs the wedge cannot be loosened by any tendency of the breech to move rearwardly as a result of the explosive force. It should be apparent when the wedge is in proper position, upon pulling the trigger, that the trigger can be moved still farther by reason of the plunger I I9 without moving the wedge, and hence that the firing pincan be moved rearwardly a still further amount to compress the spring I26 to get a quick and forceful movement of the pin after the pin II3 on link I30 is moved from looking engagement with the plunger I23. Upon release of the trigger it automatically returns to its initial position as a result of a spring pressed plunger I40 on the handle and the breech moves to the left and the wedge downwardly into the position shown. Furthermore, the pin I3I will return to its position of engagement with the end of plunger I23 over the reduced portion I24, and it may be noted that such reduced portion when the pin fires the cartridge will engage the projection I i5 and hence the plunger will be in proper position for engagement with the pin I3I upon release of the trigger.

In either of the constructions illustrated and described, it is apparent that an efiicient machine has been provided for setting rivets or the like and particularly rivets of the character described. which operates by igniting fuel or explosives. It is apparent also that the ignition of the fuel or discharge of the cartridge or cap is effected by pulling a trigger which is conveniently located for manipulation by the hand of the operator gripping the machine or gun. It is apparent that in either construction, rivets may be set successively and repeatedly, without other manipulation than pulling the trigger and inserting the rivet in the machine and in the structure to be riveted and that either machine may be considered as a repeating gun which operates merely by pulling a trigger for each rivet setting operation. It might be stated in this connection that the use of the explosive power may be instrumental in. providing an automatic rivet feed for inserting rivets in the gun anvil automatically.

Although more than one form of the invention has been illustrated and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

V 1.;-A machin for riveting plates or the like bymeans of airiv'et comprising a tubular member and a shank-extending therethrough, which comprises a movable member for moving the shank, an anvil for applying the reactionary force to the tubular member, and means for igniting 3. A machine for riveting plates or the like by means of a rivet'comprising a tubular member and a shank extending therethrough, which comprises a movable member for moving said shank,

means for moving said member including means connected to the gripping means, and means for effecting combustion at one side of the fluid responsive means for efiecting movement of the gripping means.

6. In combination, means for gripping and pulling a rivet, movable means for controlling said means, and means for effecting a discharge of a cartridge or the like and moving said movable means.

7. In combination, means for gripping and pulling a rivet, movable means for controlling said means, and means for effecting ignition of a combustible material and moving said movable means.

8. In combination, rivet setting means, fluid pressure responsive means operatively connected to the first means, means for effecting discharge of an explosive cartridge for moving said fluid responsive means, and mechanically operable means for replacing the exploded cartridge with an unexploded cartridge.

9. In combination, rivet setting means, fluid pressure responsive means operatively connected to the first means, a cartridge cIip means for effecting explosion of a cartridge to move the fluid responsive means, and means for ejecting the exploded cartridge and placing an unexploded cartridge in position for explosion to move the fluid responsive means.

10. A fastener setting mechanism comprising a movable member, fluid pressure responsive means operatively connected to said member, means for igniting a combustible material at one side of the fluid pressure responsive means, means for allowing discharge of the gases after combustion and movement of the fluid pressure responsive means, and means controlled by move- .ment of the last mentioned means for governing the operation of the discharge controlling means.

11. A fastener setting mechanism comprising a movable member, a movable fluid pressure responsive member, means operatively connecting the fluid pressure responsive member to the movable member, a discharge opening in such fluid pressure responsive member, a valve for opening and closing such opening, means for applying tance in the cylinder.

fluid pressure to one side of the fluid pressurev responsive member and to hold the valve closed during consequent movement of the latter member, and means for opening the valve against the pressure during movement of such pressure responsive member, to allow the fluid to exhaust therethrough.

12. A fastener setting mechanism comprising a movable member, a movable fluid pressure responsive member operatively connected to the first member, means normally urging the pressure responsive member in one direction, means for introducing fluid under pressure at one side of the member to move it in the other direction, a

discharge opening in the pressure responsive member, a valve therefor, normally maintained closed by the fluid pressure, means for opening the valve during movement of the pressure responsive member by the fluid, and means for closing the valve during return of the responsive member to its initial position.

13. A fastener setting mechanism comprising a movable fastener setting member, fluid pressure responsive means operatively connected thereto, a cartridge magazine, means for exploding a cartridge to move the fluid pressure responsive means and means for successively introducing unexploded cartriges and ejecting the exploded cartridges, to enable repeating operation of the mechanism.

14. A fastener setting mechanism comprising a movable fastener setting member, fluid pressure responsive means operatively connected thereto, a cartridge magazine, means for exploding a cartridge to move the fluid pressure responsive means, and means for successively introducing unexploded cartridges and e ecting the exploded cartridges, to enable repeating operation of the mechanism, said last mentioned means being manually controlled.

15. In a machine for setting a rivet comprising a tubular member and a male member extending therethrcugh, in which the male member is adapted to be pulled and the reactionary force is applied to the tubular member during setting of the rivet, wherein the machine comprises a cylinder, a piston movable in the cylinder, means operatively connected to the piston for pulling the male rivet member, means operatively connected to the cylinder for engaging the tubular rivet member, means for supplying fluid under pressure to one side of the piston, and means for automatically releasing the. fluid under pressure after the piston has been moved a predetermined dis- 16. A rivet setting machine comprising means for gripping a rivet pin, fluid pressure responsive means for moving the gripping means in one direction to pull the pin, means for applying the reactionary force of the pull to the structure being riveted, and a spring for moving the fluid pressure responsive means in the opposite direction.

17. A rivet setting machine comprising means for gripping a rivet pin, fluid pressure responsive means for pulling said means, means for applying the reactionary force of the pull to the structure riveted, and means increasingly resistant as the fluidpressure responsive means is moved in the "direction of} pull for quickly returning the ture riveted. and means increasingly resistant as the fluid pressure responsive means is moved in the direction of pull for quickly returning the latter after the rivet setting operation, said last mentioned means comprising a spring engaging the fluid pressure responsive means.

19. A rivet setting machine comprising means for gripping a rivet pin, fluid pressure responsive means for moving the gripping means in one direction to pull' and break the pin, means for applying the reactionary force oi the pull to the structure being riveted, and means increasingly resistant to the movement of the fluid pressure responsive means for cushioning the latter when and pulling the pin, means for applying the reactionary force to an end portion 01 the tubular member, and means for rendering said power operated means inefiective automatically after a predetermined movement thereof.

21. A machine for setting a rivet of a type including a tubular member and a pin extending therethrough wherein after setting the rivet the pin is adapted to be broken, which comprises power operated means for gripping and pulling the pin, means for applying the reactionary force to an end portion of the tubular member, and automatically operated means for rendering such power operated means inoperative after a predetermined movement thereof and after breaking of the pin.

LOUIS C. HUCK. 

